Meter connection and support



21, 19 31. I J T $UTL|FF 1,801,377

METER CONNECTION AND SUPPORT Filed May 10. 1928 Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNFTFD STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES T. SUTLIFF, OI DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MUELLER 00., OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS METER CONNECTION AND SUPPORT Application filed May 10, 1928. Serial No. 276,688.

The present invention relates to meter hangers and connections, particularly adapted for use with gas meters.

It has been a practice in some cases to ap- .5 ply a connection or fitting above the meter to which the several inlet and outlet pipes are connected and which fitting serves to reduce the strain upon the various pipes.

This construction is utilized in connection with a shelf which may be stationary, but is,

in most instances, suspended from the connection above the meter.

The purpose of a suspended rest of this character is to provide a firm support where a stationary shelf cannot be erected and also to eliminate the stationary shelf and avoid the difficulties often attendant thereon.

The present invention, therefore, relates to a shelf which is suspended from the connection above the meter and is particularly concerned with the provision of a resilient rest or cushion for the bottom of the meter which can be adjusted to various types and sizes of meters.

It is an object of the invention to adjust the resiliency of the support, as well as to adjust the position of the rest and to make provision for having the suspension. means movable to accommodate any inequalities or 0 difference in size or position which may be encountered in the application of the inven tion.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a top view partly in section.

Figure 2 is a side view.

Figure 3 is a sectional view.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a modification, and

Figure 5 is a plan view partly in section.

The invention is attached to a meter indicated at 10, having inlet pipe 11 and outlet to which are adjustably connected 2. cylindrical or other shaped rod 16.

By reason of the construction shown, the connection may be tilted vertically and laterally, as well as longitudinally adjusted to accommodate for the lack of parallelism, longitudinal position and discrepancy in length of the pipes 17 and 18, which lead to and from the meter, respectively.

The thimbles, it will be observed, are provided with lugs 19 having eyes 20 therein and loosely engaging in said eyes are the hooked ends of rods 21.

These rods may be of wire or of relatively rigid material or they may be flexible to the extent that chains may be utilized in some cases.

The rods 21 depend loosely from the thinibles as shown, and at their lower ends are threaded as shown at 22, to receive nuts 23.

Carried by the rods at the lower end thereof, is a shelf or support 2%.

This shelf is preferably a flat strip of relatively flexible metal and, as shown, comprises a relatively straight intermediate portion 25, upon which the meter rests. The ends of the flexible strip are inclined downwardly as at 26 and are then bent inward towards the center of the support as shown at 27 The portions 26 are provided with slots 28 whichare shown as extending longitudinally, but which, in some cases, may extend transversely and, in fact, many also be in the nature of a cross, that is, there may be transverse and longitudinal slots provided which preferably cross each other.

The inturned portion 27 is provided with a similar slot or slots 29 in alignment with the slot in the portion 26.

It will be observed when the device is assembled, that the rods extend freely through the aligned slots in each end of the strap and it will be understood that the size of the bottom slots will be such that the nuts 23 will not pass therethrough. By moving the rods in the slots to accommodate the size of meter, and by adjusting the nuts upon the rods, the rest or shelf can be brought into proper position to efficiently support the meter.

It will be observed that the straight flat portion 25 forms a cushion in connection with the turned-in ends and it very desirable to provide a resilient rest to take up shocks and jars which may have a bad effect upon the metering.

It will be clear that in some cases the rest 24 may simply embody a strip of material which is bent upon itself and provided with openings in its ends, after the manner of the construction disclosed but such an expedient would require considerably more material and is not preferred. In other words, while a support of U-form might be utilized, or a support comprising a strip bent back and for ward upon itself a number of times, such embodiment/is not preferred.

The provision of an intermediate cushion resiliently su ported at its ends, has been found very e cient and it will be observed that the bent-under portions terminate substantially in alignment with the sides of the meter. This is a standard construction, but, obviously, in some cases it may be desirable to have the bent-under portions extending a greater distance beneath the flat portion 24 or a lesser distance.

The nuts which engage the bent-under portions 27 SQIXG not only to adjust the position of the rest with respect to the meter, but incidentally to adjust the resiliency of the suport.

The invention is capable of a variety of forms and it will be understood that the claims are drawn to include various modifications which may be resorted to.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising connecting means disposed above a meter, rods loosely depending therefrom, a resilient support carried by said rods at their lower ends, said support being formed of a strip of flexible material having its ends turned under, openings in said end portions to receive the rods, andmeans carried by the rods for engaging the turned-under portions of the strip to provide an adjustable cushion for the meter.

2. In a device of the class described comprising connections for a meter, means sus pended therefrom, and a yieldable support upon which the meter rests, carried by said means, said support comprising a strip of resilient material having its ends bent under with said supporting means engaging the bent under portions of the support.

3. In a device of the class described com prising connections for a meter, means suspended therefrom, and a support or yieldable material upon which the meter rests, detachably carried by said means, said support comprising an intermediate flat portion engaging the bottom of the meter and having its ends bent under, said means being adjustably associated with the under-bent portions to provide a resilient cushioning for the meter.

4. In a device of the class described comprising connections for ameter, means sus pended therefrom, and a cushion support formed of resilient material upon which the meter rests, carried by said means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES T. SUTLIFF. 

